'Just Wright' survives on Queen Latifah's goodwill alone

Courtesy PhotoQueen Latifah and Common are shown in a scene from "Just Wright."The lead character in "Just Wright" is named Leslie Wright, so it's as inevitable as death that the title of the film eventually will make its way into the dialogue.
This truth is not necessarily prevalent at first, but as the cliches unspool, it seems unavoidable that Leslie, a longtime singleton who can't find the right man, will be subject to the "Just" label. And the tag has a double meaning: She carries no pretension, and what you see is what you get -- just Wright. It also can be a pun, reserved for the moment when a man labels her as "just right."

But this is where I sigh deeply, for interpreting the title is far more interesting than this sweet but painfully predictable romance. "Just Wright" is fueled entirely by the goodwill of Queen Latifah, who gamely tries to distract us from the story's superficiality with her twinkling, infectious smile and easygoing charm.

She plays Leslie as a level head, with reasonable hopes for finding a lifemate, despite being shadowed by discouragement. She resigns herself to not forcing the issue too much, and is the type of character Latifah excels at capturing -- a woman who takes life at face value, and drives a junky old car with a dimple in its door that she doesn't fix because it was her grandfather's, and he, too, had a dimple.

Leslie, a physical therapist, is a major New Jersey Nets fan. Her godsister Morgan (Paula Patton) is a layabout who prefers to focus not on getting a job, but scheming to marry a rich NBA star. After a game, Leslie runs into star Nets point guard Scott McKnight (Common) at a gas station, and he extends an invite to his birthday party. She brings the conventionally beautiful Morgan along, who plays hard to get, and snags him.

But, look at the movie posters: Common and Latifah are affectionately embracing. Scott and Morgan's relationship seems doomed by the plot. Oops. Spoiler alert. Adding injury to insult, he blows out his knee, and guess who becomes his live-in physical therapist? He has reason to mope, and Leslie has reason to make him sandwiches.

So with Scott's career and the Nets' playoff hopes on the line, Leslie puts together a rigorous musical montage- er, rehab regime, to get him back in shape. A bond is formed. There's a scene where he plays the piano, and she sings along. Yes: Beautiful music, made together. The wrong person shows up at exactly the wrong time, or exactly the right time if you're a contrived plot. And every dramatic maneuver is hopelessly telegraphed by the score.

The outcome of this movie is never, ever, ever, ever, ever in doubt. Ever. But Latifah's down-home allure is magnetic, and little about "Just Wright" sticks with us, except her warm presence. After the movie, her smile all but lingers on the darkened screen like the Cheshire Cat's.